The Howard stands on Ilmington Green, eight miles south of Stratford-upon-Avon. It was built at roughly the same time as Shakespeare wrote King Lear and little has changed since. It’s a lovely country inn and comes with original fixtures and fittings: polished flagstones, heavy beams, mellow stone walls, a crackling fire. Outside, roses ramble on golden stone walls, while a pretty garden waits at the back. Good food comes as standard, perhaps ham hock terrine with homemade piccalilli, marinated duck breast with bok choy, apple tarte tatin with mascarpone cream; there’s fish and chips and a good burger, too. Elsewhere, you find oils on walls, books on shelves, settles in alcoves, beautiful bay windows. A colourful dining room floods with light courtesy of fine arched windows that overlook the green. Bedrooms in the main house have a charming old-world feel, garden rooms are more contemporary with excellent bathrooms. You can walk across fields to Chipping Campden; Simon de Montfort once owned this land. The village church dates to the 11th century and has Thompson mice within.
We needed a half term break and wanted to revisit Coventry Cathedral , the 'jewel box 'of art works designed by Basil Spence . Looked at Sawday's guide which has always suited us well and found The Howard Arms, Ilmington. A warm welcome, a well designed and spacious bedroom in the Annexe , good food in a traditional bar by a fire and a landlord who mixed me a non-alcoholic cocktail with as much interest as if it were a vintage champagne I was paying for! A charming village with friendly locals.